


India Lima Yankee

by outofordxr, ProbablyTrash



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Autism Spectrum, Christmas Fluff, Crime Fighting, Crimes & Criminals, Deadbeat Dad, Emotional Manipulation, Fluff, GCPD, Gotham City Police Department, Implied Relationships, Kidnapping, Kristen Kringle does not exist here hello, Major Original Character(s), Manipulation, Minor Original Character(s), Murder, Police, Slow Burn, Sweet, Uncle Harvey, implied alcohol use, manipulative Loeb, minor autistic character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-02
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-22 06:48:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11374821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/outofordxr/pseuds/outofordxr, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProbablyTrash/pseuds/ProbablyTrash
Summary: Margo Bullock is a sweet young woman, who has just started her internship at the Gotham City Police Department. Working along her uncle is very exciting, yet lonely as she is cooped up in filing all day. Not many things catch her attention in the GCPD besides that sweet, yet odd forensic scientist: Edward Nygma. However, Margo is warned again and again of the danger that may lie ahead. What will happen when she is abducted in order to weaken the two strongest detectives in the GCPD? How will this play into the creation of Nygma's Riddler?(No longer being worked on.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First, I want to thank Erich (@ProbablyTrash) for his constant rereading and ideas. I really enjoy the sessions we have geeking out over this shit.
> 
> Second, I realize I must finish "I'm So Sorry", but I'm just trying to think of how to wrap it up for good, or another installment. In the meantime, please enjoy this attempt to analyze Ed Nygma, and practice writing.
> 
> Please comment ideas, requests, and critiques! I'm on my summer break so I have another two months of free time. Please enjoy.

The city swept by in a mass of gray skyscrapers and drops of rain sitting boldly on the window of the train. My bright blue eyes watched the depot roll closer with every second. To be safe, I pulled a bright red wool hat over my soft brown hair to protect from the cold nip that Gotham blessed the city with. With a new-found motivation, I stood and began to pull my luggage down from the carry on rack above my head. The gray fleece of my coat made my arms tingle as I pulled it on.

It was a second before I caught my uncle waiting under an awning, with some other man. It must have been the certain detective he had called me about. I smiled big when he caught sight of me. My uncle paused his coffee mid-sip, and said something to the other man while pointing at me. I must say the detective was very well composed, although a bit intimidating because of the high and tight that he mightily wore among the Gotham civilians.

“Hi, Princess!” my uncle beamed, pulling me in a warm hug. He smelled like coffee, rum, and cloves.

“I missed you, Uncle Harvey.” I giggled, hugging him back. My uncle pushed me to face his companion.

“This is Jim.” he laughed, looking between the two of us nervously. I smiled and held my hand out. James Gordon met me half way and we shook hands.

“Margo Bullock,” he strained a small smile, and a curt nod. “It’s a pleasure to meet you after all I’ve heard.”

“Likewise, Detective Gordon,” I nod back, turning to my uncle. I gave him a wink and his anxiety seemed to dissipate immediately. After a bit of small talk with the two, we decided to start toward the parking lot where a neat little GCPD cruiser waited for the three of us. I got into the back and buckled myself in as the men made themselves busy in the front.

“How’s your mom?” Harvey asks, while we drive into the heart of the city. I bite my lip and force a laugh.

“She’s…” I organize my thoughts accordingly before answering. “Adjusting, I guess. Christian is good, though! He just graduated from high school, and I taught him how to open a checking account because he got a job.”

“What’s he got going on?” Harvey raised his brows.

“He’s working in a dog day care currently.” I reply, relaxing in my seat. Jim was looking out of the window, and I could tell he was deep in thought. Deciding not to dwell, I leaned forward and looked at my uncle. “In all honesty, Mom seems a little better now that Christian can take care of himself. I almost had to leave an instruction manual for her.”

“She’s been neurotic since we were kids,” my uncle shrugs, turning into an underground parking complex. “She get’s it from  _ our _ aunt. Your great-aunt, Patricia.”

I nod, and get out of the car with them. Jim and Harvey walk with me to the stairwell and into the elevator. I glance at Jim Gordon and clear my throat. The air was tight, and stuffy.

“So, Detective Gordon--”

“Please, just call me Jim.”

“Jim,” I giggle, closing my eyes. “My uncle told me that you are engaged?”

He glanced at my uncle in what I can only interpret as irritation. Jim looks back at me and gave me that strained smile again before responding, “Actually, she and I agreed to call it off, for safety reasons because of my line of work.”

“Oh! I am  _ so sorry _ ,” my heart sank and I feel guilty for bringing the subject up. Finally the metal box we were in reached my floor and we made our way down to hall to my new apartment. Uncle Harvey pulled a small manilla pouch from his coat pocket and hands it to me. He gave a proud grin to me.

“All your’s, Princess.”

Sliding the small metal object from the paper, I turned it over in my fingers before sliding it into the knob. I could feel each tooth click into the inner mechanism and it felt amazing.  _ Another step in the roller coaster of adulthood _ , my mom would say.

*

“Welcome to the precinct!” my uncle bellowed as we strode through the door into what looked like an old train station. Officers and journalists bustled up and down the aisles of desks, receptionists were taking calls, and criminals were being escorted to a large cage on the far wall. I followed him to the door near the cage and tried not to look around too much. “This is the filing and storage room, where you’ll mainly work. Next door,” he points to the door labeled CORONER. “Is where you’ll mostly be studying, and doing your internship.”

I nod, and look around finally. I look up at Harvey and thank him. We exchange a quick hug, and I get a big kiss on the forehead before he is called to the Commissioner's office. I enter the filing room and look around before setting my purse down on the desk in the heart of the dark room. I got to work almost immediately, save my trip out to get a cup of coffee.

Around lunchtime I started to finish up some important first day paperwork. I had been alternating between that and organizing files.

“Did you know,” a voice quipped behind me. I jumped, and stood to look at the dapper--yet awkward--looking man standing in a lab coat. “The first patent for the modern day fountain pen was a gift from France to the Romanian inventor, Petrache Poenaru.”

He was very angular and lanky, his legs stretching under the coat. The glasses on his sharp face almost hid his dark eyes, as he smiled at me. I swallowed thickly and gave a shaky smile. I thread a lock of my hair behind my ear and clear my throat after hours of silently reading.

“I-I did not know that,” I smiled nervously, watching his odd mannerisms. The man pointed slightly and bowed his head before striding to a cabinet. He opened it and filed through the drawer before slipping the manilla folder he was carrying into the mess. The strange man glanced at me a couple of times before speaking again.

“My name is Edward Nygma.”

“I’m Margo,” I relax a little, remembering his name as one of my co-workers. “Margo Bullock, the new intern.”

He simply smiled at me and I clear my throat again, adjusting my reading glasses. His hair was very neatly combed. It matched my brunette locks. I nodded curtly, and turn to organize my desk.

“Gracious,” I laugh. “You startled me at first, Mr. Nygma--”

“Please,” Edward still smiled. It was very unnerving. “Call me Ed. Your uncle does after all.”

“Well, do you like that nickname?”

“I don’t dislike it.”

“Alright, Ed.” I smile at him. I bite my lip and scramble for a topic to discuss. “Say, what file was that? Out of curiosity.”

“Ah,” he looks back at the open drawer and slowly closes it, almost seeming ashamed. “That is the Wayne Case. The murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne, who were found in an alleyway, shot dead. Their son, Bruce, was unharmed but petrified.”

I nod, stiff from such news. Furrowing my eyebrows, I empathize, “I can only imagine how horrible that must’ve been for him.”

“Yes.”

We stare at one another for quite a while, before he fidgets and adjusts his glasses.

“Well, I’d better get back to lunch before my break is over.” he smiles.

“Yes,” I nod in understanding. “I hope you have a good afternoon, Ed. See you around.”

After he scurries out of the room, I turn to my desk and my attention is caught by my fountain pen. I sit down and pick it up. It was a deep emerald dyed shell casing, waving between deep and light greens. The seams were adorned by gold plating, and an  _ R _ was ornately inscribed into the casing. I pondered how long Edward Nygma must have been watching me to put together his fact and notice that I was holding such a pen.

*

“Knock knock.”

I look up, and finish scribbling a sentence on my notepad. My uncle was standing in the doorway, his coat draped over his arm. I smiled, and screwed the cap onto my pen. Harvey waltzed to me and pat my head. He leaned over and kissed the crown of my head before looking down at the pen.

“You still have Dick’s pen, huh?” he asked. I flushed and laughed softly before picking it up. The letter on it glittered in the lamp light. I nod, looking up at him. I gave him pleading eyes and he understood that the conversation was closed. 

“Jim and I are going out for drinks, would you like to come along?” he said. I sighed looking down at the unfinished work. He sighs and kneels down next to me, plucking the pen out of my hand. “Margo, you’ve been working all day. It’s your first day, you can relax.” I open my mouth to protest. “Come hang out with us. That is an order as your guardian.”

I laugh and nod, “Okay, Harvey. I’m not the designated driver though.”

“Yes Princess.” he chuckled. “Now, get ready. We’re going in a minute after Jim finishes up locking up.”

As soon as I had set my work aside, I glanced at the other door to the Coroner’s office. I tiptoed over and knocked lightly. It seemed like someone was in the office. I knocked again and opened the door.

“Ed?” I call, only to be met with a dark haired woman in a professional, fitted dress. She was hanging her lab coat up when she looked at me and smiled.

“You must be Harvey’s daughter.” she beamed. I laugh and shake my head.

“I’m his niece actually.”

“Oh,” she laughed along, the sound hearty and warm. “My apologies. I noticed that he was treating you very well, and just assumed… Is he your primary guardian?”

“Only while I’m in Gotham.” I answer.

“I’m Lee Thompson,” the woman offers up her hand and I shake it. She seemed very warm and maternal. “Are you going out with the boys and I?”

“Margo Bullock,” I reply with a shy smile. “And yes, I am. I was actually looking for Mr. Nygma. I wanted to invite him.”

“Oh, he already clocked out I believe.” Lee looked down, mouth to the side. “You might be able to catch him in the locker room, however.”

“Alright,” I sagged a little, disappointed. “Thank you.”

I left the room and gathered my things from my desk before heading in the direction of the locker room. I waited, afraid of barging in. Finally, the door opened and Jim and Ed walked out. They seemed to have been speaking with one another.

“Ed,” I chirp, catching his attention. He seemed surprised to have been approached by me. I grin. “Hi, um, my uncle asked me--”

I was blushing.  _ Why. _

“I’m going out with--” I kicked myself mentally before taking a deep breath. “Would you like to join me for a drink?”

Ed raised his eyebrows and Jim gave me an amazed look before joining my uncle at his desk. The forensic scientist’s expression flickered between shock and confusion. The conflict subsided and he chuckled, fixing his glasses. I did too.

“Um,” he grinned. “Are you sure that’s alright?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

He leaned closer and placed his hand beside his mouth dramatically, voice dropped. “Between you and me, I don’t think your uncle enjoys my company that much.”

“My uncle Harvey is just…” I giggle. “He’s a stubborn, old man.”

“I heard that,” my uncle bellowed across the building. I laughed and glanced up at Ed.

“So,” I nudge him. “Yay, or nay?”

“Sorry, but I’ll have to say nay.” he replied. I felt disappointment again and looked down. “I have some last minute reports to write at home, but I can go out another time.”

“Alright…” I mumble before saying goodnight and walking to Detective Gordon and my uncle.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully, you all know the Christmas tune in the flashback. Said "Inspector" will play a part in the plot, by the way. I'm trying to connect everything to the best of my abilities and strengthen my plot building skills.
> 
> Please comment ideas, requests, and critiques! I'm on my summer break so I have another two months of free time. Please enjoy.

The next week passed in what seemed like chopped up conversations, isolation in the storage room, and odd dialogue with Edward and Dr. Thompkins in the coroner’s office. Friday morning, I immediately was called into the commissioner’s office. Warning bells went off in my head and I gulped, shuffling to the room. I look through the blinds at the mousy looking man leaning on the edge of his desk.

“Commissioner Loeb,” I announce my presence with a soft voice. He looks up at me and smirks. “You wanted to see me, sir?”

“Yes. I wanted to give you your first paycheck, and a bit of advice.” he responds, walking around to sit at his desk. Lifting a small envelope to me, he begins speaking again.

“You are of the Bullock bloodline, correct?” he asks. I nod, sitting down across from him; I wanted to look attentive as possible. “Well, I’ve come to understand that Harvey and James are the best we’ve got at the moment” his lip turned up in a sour grimace “and all I am asking is that you don’t get too involved with them.”

“Sir--”

“That is a direct order,” Loeb sighs, looking up at me. “You are family to Harvey Bullock which means you an easy distraction. I understand that he is your uncle, but I need him at his best.  _ Not  _ being killed because he has a little girl on his mind.”

I stared in shock, registering what I had just been commanded. Slowly, I stood up and smiled. My eyes were pinpointed on this rat of a man, willing his head to explode.

It didn’t.

“I’ll get right on that.” I lie. I walk out of the office with the envelope, and quickly stride to Jim’s desk. He was standing and talking with an officer over a map of some kind. I grab his jacket sleeve and yank him behind me.

“Margo--”

“Jim,” I pull the man into my work space and spin around, staring up at him with intense eyes. I’m sure my bright red lips were drawn back in a scowl. “I need you to do something for me. Please,  _ please _ make sure my uncle doesn’t go out and get himself killed. I want him to be able to see me every day.”

“Slow down,” Jim closes his eyes and furrows his brows. “Margo, you sound like you’re leaving.”

I bite my lip and will myself not to tear up, obsessing over what Loeb had ordered. I look down and sigh, “I have to keep my distance for a bit. Loeb told me to stop--”

“Loeb?” Detective Gordon sneered and took my shoulders. “Don’t pay attention to him. He’s… He doesn’t quite understand familial ties.”

I nod and look back up at him, sniffling.

“Everything is gonna be okay, Margo.” he pulled me into a stiff hug and I returned the gesture out of habit. I was surprised by this however. “Don’t listen to him, trust me.”

He poured me a coffee and made sure I was okay before leaving. I picked up where I had left off the night before and sighed. A migraine was setting in and I was very stressed suddenly. Was this the right line of work for me? Would I have to exile myself from my uncle like Jim’s ex-fiance did with him?

My Uncle Harvey was one of the last people I wanted to lose.

*

_ I glanced over at Christian, pushing my hair behind my ear. He was sitting next to the plastic christmas tree, playing with his blue and pink stuffed dog toy. I watched my brother as he was completely engrossed in his toy. The radio was playing a jolly holiday song about a hippopotamus as a present. Snow was drifting merrily outside, and landing silently on the glittering, white ground. I was quiet, mostly waiting for Christian’s bedtime to roll around. I promised him that he could stay up an hour later because it was Christmas Eve. He was thrilled. I on the other hand was dreading the morning because I knew Mom hadn’t bought anything for us but a “fancy” dinner. _

_ “Ho! Ho! Ho!” a voice bellowed from the front door. Christian and I automatically glanced at each other. My brother looked amazed and like he had seen a dinosaur. I was skeptical. It could be a burglar, or something. “Merry Christmas!” _

_ Or something. _

_ “Uncle Harvey!” I squealed, running to the door and unlocking it. I yanked it open and was met with a cold gust of crisp winter chill. My big goofy uncle stood there, with about three large shopping bags in his hands. His beard was frosty, and he had snow collecting on his hat--which he promptly set on my head. It was too big. _

_ “Santa was running late, so he asked me to bring you the gifts.” Harvey smiled, taking his shoes off and handing me the bags. “May you please go put these under the tree, Princess?” _

_ I did as he asked as Christian ran to my uncle and beamed up at him. That night we had sat down on the shabby carpet of the living room and opened a gift from Harvey. We saved the rest for the next morning. Christian had been given a Transformers toy. I tore into my box and I was greeted with a medium sized, quality bound book. I opened it and looked through pages and pages of blank paper. I grinned and looked up at Harvey. _

_ “Thank you,” I beamed, closing the book with a light creak from the spine. He nods and I lean in to hug him. _

_ “I brought one more thing,” he smiled, gesturing for Christian to sit with us. My brother complied and we grinned at one another. Harvey pulled a folded up paper from his pocket and cleared his throat, starting to read. “‘Twas the night before Christmas…’” _

*

I was on the last file by lunch time, but my brain was short circuiting.

“Knock knock.”

I turned around and met Ed with a smile. He was in the same lab coat, but his slacks were a finely pressed herringbone pattern today. He held a small container in his hands.

“May I join you for lunch?” he asks.

“Of course!” I grinned. “Oh, um, I don’t exactly have a lunch though. So, it may be a bit awkward.”

“W-well, if it isn’t too much trouble,” he replied. “I have a sandwich as well, if you’d like that.”

“Oh no!” I laugh bashfully. “You don’t have to do that--”

“Oh please. It’s the least I can do.”

Edward sat with me at my desk as he ate his fried rice and shrimp. I was being nourished with a pumpernickel PB&J. It was a very strange, but satisfying combination. We shared small facts with one another, about ourselves or objects in the room. It was very nice.

“Mmh!” I chirped around bread and peanut butter. “When I was about eleven, my brother found our stash of permanent markers and drew on Uncle Harvey. It was a mere scribble on the forehead and neck before he woke up, but it was funny.”

Ed smiled in amusement, nodding as he listened intently. I appreciate the way he listens respectfully to me. He was kind and calculating, and valued what I said. He savored my ideas before responding with either a rebuttal or agreement.

Our breaks end and we part ways, my motivation renewed for the next shift. I work diligently until the end, and then some. I get everything done for the day and I’m finally caught up. That’s when I hear rustling in the depths of the storage room, and freeze.

It sounded like someone was flipping pages back and forth in a book. I stared at my hands shaking, before slowly taking my pen and uncapping it. The gold tip shined in the lamp light. Slowly, I stand and turn, glancing around cautiously.

“Mr. Nygma?” I call out. I take a step forward, just as a tall blonde man slips out from a corner full of furniture, his eyes almost jet black. I jumped, placing a hand on my chest to calm my racing heart. The man was holding a book in his hand. It looked very familiar.

“Didn’t mean to startled you, Ms. Bullock.” his cool voice was laced with a European accent that I placed as Scottish. He held up the book and waved it in my direction. “I found this in the Coroner’s lab. I believe it is your’s, yes?”

I finally realized that it was my journal. Furrowing my brows, I force an astonished laugh.

“I don’t believe I took it into--”

“You are Harvey’s niece, correct?”

“U-um,” I keep my eyes on him. “Yes, I am. I’m sorry, but who are you?”

“My apologies,” the man smiles. “I am simply an inspector.”

“How did you know my name, then?”

“I know all of your names.” the inspector simply kept smiling. “Well, Ms. Bullock, I must be on my way.”

He walks to me and sets the book down behind me. At closer inspection I notice his eyes are not black, but completely dilated, framed by a thin ring of green. His lip was scarred from what looked like a cleft palate. The inspector turned on his heel and waltzed away, a limp in his stride. I stared after him, frozen with dread. When I was certain he had left, I spun around and burst into the Coroner’s office. My breathing was shallow, and I blinked, slamming the door.

“Margo,” Lee rushed over as Edward stood up from his chair. Lee had her hair drawn back in a ponytail at the base of her skull. “What’s up? You’re pale.”

“Was--” I gulped some air back and looked back at the door. “There was a man in there, blonde… He said he was an inspector, um, was he in here?”

“No.” Edward answered, seeming very concerned.

It made sense. I didn’t remember bringing my journal to work, let alone the coroner’s office. I left all my diaries in their box at my apartment. They were all old. The one he had handed me was my first journal. The one that my uncle gave me, and I filled it with complaints of my mother, and worries of Christian. It was in that box. It was in that box!

_ It was at the bottom of that box. _

“He was in the my home…”

“I didn’t hear you.” Lee says. I look up and give a shaky smile.

“N-nothing.” I lie. “Have a nice night, you two.”

I turn on my heel and leave, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment ideas, requests, and critiques! I'm on my summer break so I have another two months of free time. Please enjoy.
> 
> For more personal contact, my info is in my profile. Please be kind, and respectful.

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment ideas, requests, and critiques! I'm on my summer break so I have another two months of free time. Please enjoy.
> 
> For more personal contact, my info is in my profile. Please be kind, and respectful.


End file.
